A significant complaint about many industrial processes relates to the odors emitted from factories. Pulp and paper mills, for example, are notorious for producing objectionable odors (malodors), and such facilities often receive complaints from the surrounding community related to such odor emissions. Odor emissions are also often associated by the public with other serious environmental and health problems, e.g., carcinogen emissions and allergen production, even though the odor emission is not linked to such problems.
There are many different types of odors and sources of such odors in the environment. Odors in industrial processes are often caused by reduced sulfides, nitrogen containing compounds, and other organic compounds, such as, volatile short chain fatty acids. The odors are also generated during different stages of the industrial process, and may be caused, e.g., by microbial contamination or by chemical and/or biological agents present in the industrial process.
A number of solutions have been proposed to control the odor problems in the environment, including, for example, the substitution of agents which cause malodor with agents which causes reduced odor or no odor and/or the use of compositions and equipment (e.g., vaporizers) that neutralizes the odor and/or odor source.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,804,170, for example, discloses a deodorant composition comprising a phenolic compound and an enzyme which can oxidize the phenolic compound. The phenolic compounds are stated to have a deodorizing effect when used in combination with oxidases, such as, polyphenol oxidases, monophenol oxidases, peroxidases, laccases, tyrosinases, and glucose oxidases.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,631 discloses malodor reducing composition and methods involving the use of oxidoreductases in combination with a mediator to reduce malodor.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,025,186 discloses the use of haloperoxidase in combination with a hydrogen peroxide source for reducing malodor emanating from soiled hygiene products.